Will Ferrell joins Jason, Travis Kelce for ‘New Heights’ live taping
Will Ferrell joined Jason and Travis Kelce for a live taping of their “New Heights” podcast, where he reflected on his “Saturday Night Live” audition.
“Saturday Night Live” is getting some new blood.
The NBC sketch show has hired two cast members for its upcoming 52nd season. On Wednesday, Sept. 16, the network confirmed that Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter will be joining the show as featured players when it returns in late September.
Belo-Osagie is a comedian from Queens, New York, whose past work includes the short film “Tinge,” which she wrote and directed. She also created the event series “Afrobeats Futura” and the solo show “Saidah Gets Closure.” Reiter, meanwhile, is from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and appeared on Tim Robinson’s HBO series “The Chair Company.” She’s also known for her viral videos on TikTok, where she has nearly 4 million followers.
The “SNL” hirings come after Chloe Fineman announced in July that she was leaving after seven seasons and wouldn’t return in the fall. The comedian, whose repertoire of characters included Melania Trump and Britney Spears, first joined “SNL” as a featured player in 2019.
“After 7 wonderful seasons at SNL I have decided it’s time for my next chapter,” Fineman wrote in an Instagram post confirming her departure. “It’s cliche to say this but working at SNL has been the greatest privilege of my life. I still can’t really believe I got to be a part of it.”
Writer and Please Don’t Destroy star Martin Herlihy is also set to exit the show.
“Saturday Night Live” routinely sees cast members leave during its annual summer hiatus as new comedians are also brought in. In September 2025, the show added five to its cast: Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, Veronika Slowikowska and Ben Marshall. Marshall had previously been a writer for the show and performed in pre-recorded sketches with Please Don’t Destroy.
Fineman and Herlihy are the only “SNL” departures revealed this year. This marks a shift from 2025, when five cast members – Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow, Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim – all left the show in a series of exits that was widely characterized as a shakeup.
When does ‘Saturday Night Live’ return for Season 52?
The new season of “Saturday Night Live” will premiere on Sept. 26 with host Jalen Brunson and musical guest KATSEYE. Dakota Johnson, Shane Gillis and Inde Navarrette have also been set as hosts.